The Queen’s speech was an opportunity lost, says Northumberland Labour.

The government did nothing to address their 12 years of plunging more people into poverty, fewer people being able to afford a decent home and the highest taxes ever levied while services are reduced. Never before have people been asked to pay so much for so little.

Northumberland Labour leader Scott Dickinson said: “In a time when prices in all areas of life are spiralling out of control the government could have demonstrated it is on people’s side.

“Instead their answer is to ‘grow’ the economy. They say this without have the slightest idea about how they’re going to go about it; except to say they’re going to deregulate more things meaning people’s working conditions will suffer and standards in areas like food production and safety will fall.

“Is this really what we want in 2022? A society going backwards?

“We’ve been demanding an emergency budget and windfall tax on energy companies to help people with their bills. By saying these aren’t needed the government is effectively turning its back on the people it’s supposed to be serving.

“We deserve better than this.”